Program reminder for radio programs



Feb. 2, 1937. E. T. KNITTER PROGRAM REMINDER FOR RADIO PROGRAMS Filed y 25. 1955 nun llmlllllullfllfl INVENTOR.

EE 7T/(N/7'TEQ' Patented F ch. 2, 1937 U STATES PATENT OFFICE PROGRAM REMINDER FOR RADIO PROGRAMS Claims.

My invention relates to a program reminder for radio programs.

An object of my invention is to provide an easily operated program reminder for radio pro- 5 grams.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel advertising medium in conjunction with a program reminder.

A further object is provision for making a day-to-day and hour-tohour recording of events to happen in the future.

A further object is to provide an inexpensive device, simple in operation, for use as a radio program reminder on which the station appears at the time it is desired to listen to that particular station.

.- A further object is to provide a record of events to take place in the future in connection with radio programs which can be easily corrected to take care of frequent changes occurring in programs.

In the drawing which is a part hereof:

Fig. l is a perspective View of a preferred form of my device,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a modification,

Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of a further modification of my device,

Fig. 5 is a cross-section View taken on line 55,

and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the indicator mechanism of the modification shown in Fig. 4.

In the past few years there have been many changes in broadcasting radio programs. At first the presentations were one hour long and it was simple to choose a program once an hour from the few broadcasting stations then in existence. However, with the development of radio, broadcasting has undergone many changes. The time of each program has been gradually changed from one hour to half an hour, and finally to fifteen minutes in the majority of cases. Combined with this reduction in time there has been an increase in the number of stations broadcasting acceptable programs, until now it is a diiiicult task to remember the times and days programs come on the air. Likewise, this reduction of time to fifteen minutes has led advertisers to present their programs three or four times a week in serial form. Instead of presenting a whole play in the course of an hours broadcast, now plays are presented in fifteen minute parts ranging from two or three installments to those extending over periods of weeks. It is now a difiicult task remembering the days and times programs come on the air. In many cases the problem is further complicated by the fact that programs which are broadcast several days a week are presented at difierent times on succeeding days of the week. 5

The usual procedure in locating broadcasts at the present time is thru the newspapers. This is confusing and generally unsatisfactory as there are so many stations listed under each time interval that it is easy to overlook a broadcast which 10 one may be particularly anxious to hear. In addition newspaper listings put programs under various obscure heading such as orchestra leaders, and individual performers, etc. The heading under which a program is listed in the newspaper is usually is such that the program cannot be recognized and consequently is missed. Also such listings avoid mentioning the name of the programs sponsor. Programs occasionally change and remembering changes affecting events to take place 20 in the future is difiicult.

My invention comprises an envelope 9, (Fig. 1) in which slides card It. The envelope 9 is closed on three sides and opens at one end to receive the card I0. Near the open edge of the envelope are 5 perforations or apertures l i and 52. The series of apertures H are sufficient in number so there is one for each day of the week, and there may be an extra opening, as shown in Fig. 1, thru which ..the name of a program sponsor will be visible 30 for advertising purposes. Thru aperture l2 appears time scale l3 printed on card H]. The space on the face of envelope 9 below the. apertures I l and [2 may be used for a list of local radio stations I4 giving locations of stations and other 35 relevant information. Space I5 is provided under radio station listings M which may be used for advertising or other purposes. The back of envelope 9 is a. duplicate of its face, one side being used for morning (A. M.) and the other side for 'after- 0 noon (P. M.) time.

On card In, (Fig. 1) which slides in envelope 9, is the time scale l3 which may be divided into suitable time intervals and is shown divided into 15 minute intervals. This time scale !3 is so posi- 45 tioned with relation to aperture 52 that the time intervals may be read thru said aperture one at a time as the card moves in and out of the envelope.

In Fig. 2 a modified form of card it is shown 50 which is double, being folded over along its bottom edge on line I'l!'l. The inside surfaces of this insert may be used for any desired data, as for advertising. By folding the opposite way on line |'l--ll the inner surfaces, which then are on 55 the outside, may be used for a record of short wave broadcasting times. It may be desirable to have the fold along one of the side edges of the card instead of at the bottom.

Fig. 4 is a modified form showing envelope l8 and card I9 with the time scale 20 on the envelope adjacent slot 22. Indicator 2| is attached to card I9 and slides in slot 22. The back of envelope I8 is a duplicate of its face, one side being used for morning (A. M.) time and other for afternoon (P. M.) time.

Figs. 5 and 6 show the manner of attachment of indicator 2| to card l9, so that it may slide freely in slot 22.

Referring to Fig. 1 card 10 slides within envelope 9 and as it is moved in or out the time 13 appears thru aperture [2. As shown in the drawing the time is 4 P. M. and by looking at the days it is seen that a program comes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday to which the card holder wishes to listen. Should a program then be advertised to come on the air Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 5 P. M. to which the card holder wishes to listen, at record of the event to take place in the future is then made by sliding card It] until 5:00 appears thru opening I2. The initials indicating the station over which the program will be broadcast are then written on card 10 thru openings ll under the days the program will appear. On the following Tuesday afternoon when programs begin changing at 5:00 oclock by looking at the P. M. side of the envelope and then sliding card I until :00 appears thru aperture l2, there will appear in the Tuesday aperture the station in signia over which the selected program is to be broadcast. It is seen that by moving card In to the time a program comes on the air and then filling in the station insignia on card In thru apertures II on the days the program appears, a record is made of those programs to take place in the future. Thus at any time, when the radio listener turns on the radio he can, by sliding card In to whatever time of day or night it happens to be, readily see if a previously selected program is then on the air.

The extra aperture H at the right is provided for advertising or other purposes. For instance, if these program reminders are employed by an advertiser as an advertising medium to tie in with its radio broadcasts, the advertisers name will be printed in this aperture under the time his program is on the air. Also under the day apertures he will have printed the station insignia carrying his program. The balance of the space on card In for station insignia is left blank, for the listener to fill in as he desires.

A modified form of card which slides in envelope 9 is shown in Fig. 2. The operation is the same as that described for card In. The difference being that the modified card of Fig. 2 is double thickness, made of one piece of material folded over along line l1|l. By completely removing the card from envelope 9 and unfolding it the inner side 16 may be used for data of any kind. The inner side 16 may be provided with time scales and by folding the opposite way on line |'I--|1 expose sides IS, the insert may then be used as a record for other broadcasts.

A modified form of my invention shown in Fig. 4 operates in substantially the same manner as the preferred form in Fig. 1. In the modified form comprising envelope l8 and card !9, the time scale 20 is on the envelope. Indicator 2| is attached to card I9 and slides in slot 22 of envelope l8. When card l9 slides within envelope I B the indicator 2! moves in slot 22 and points to the times on time scale 23. With the exception of the time scale being located in a different position, the operation of the program reminder shown in Fig. 4 is identical with the one shown in Fig. 1.

It is to be understood that the forms of my invention, herewith shown and described, are to be taken as preferred examples of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of my invention, or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the type described, the combinaticn of an envelope closed on three sides and open at one end, having one horizontally disposed aperture formed in the face of said envelope near its open edge, a series of diagonally disposed apertures formed in the face of said envelope near its open edge, and a card slidable in said envelope, having a time scale printed thereon, said time scale being divided into intervals and so positioned with relation to said horizontally disposed aperture that time intervals may be read one at a time through said horizontally disposed aperture as said card is moved in and out of said envelope, space on said card to record data thru said diagonal envelope apertures, said data being recorded in relation to said time intervals.

2. In a device of the type described, the combination of an envelope closed on three sides and open at one end, said envelope having apertures on each side thereof near said open edge, one of said apertures being horizontally disposed, other of said apertures being diagonally disposed, and a card which slides in said envelope, said card being of double thickness, folded over on one of its sides, space to receive advertising data on the inside faces of said card, time scales printed on the outside faces of said card, said time scales being divided into intervals and positioned with relation to said horizontal aperture in each side of said envelope so that said time intervals may be read one at a time through said horizontal aperture as said card is moved in and out of said envelope, space on said card to record data thru said diagonally disposed envelope apertures, said data being recorded in relation to said time intervals.

3. In an indicating device adapted to contain certain partial data and to provide means for later insertion of additional data, the combination of an envelope closed on three sides and open at one end, having a plurality of diagonally disposed apertures cut in the face of said envelope near its open end, and a card slidable in said envelope and passing beneath said apertures through which notations may be recorded on said card, said card having a time scale printed thereon, said time scale being divided into intervals and so positioned with relation to one of said apertures that time intervals may be read therethrough one at a time as said card is moved in and out of said envelope whereby when any one time notation appears there will also appear any notations previously recorded thereon through said diagonal openings.

4. In an indicating device adapted to contain certain partial data and to provide means for later insertion of additional data, the combination of an envelope closed on three sides and open at one end, having a plurality of apertures cut in each side of said envelope near its open end, at least seven of said apertures in each side being diagonally disposed, and a card slidable in said envelope and passing beneath said apertures through which notations may be recorded on said card, said card having a time scale printed on each side thereof, said time scale being divided into intervals and so positioned with relation to one of said apertures in each side of said envelope that time intervals may be read therethrough one at a time as said card is moved in and out of said envelope, whereby when any one time notation appears there will also appear any notations previously recorded thereon through said diagonal openings.

5. In an indicating device adapted to contain certain partial data and to provide means for later insertion of additional data, the combination of an envelope substantially twice as long as it is wide, closed on three sides and open at one end, having a plurality of apertures cut in each side of said envelope near its open end, at least seven of said apertures in each side being diagonally disposed, and a card slidable in said envelope and passing beneath said apertures through which notations may be recorded on said card, said card having a time scale printed on each side thereof, each time scale including a twelve hour period divided into quarter hour intervals, and so positioned with relation to one of said apertures in each side of said envelope that said quarter hourly time intervals may be read therethrough one at a time as said card is moved in and out of said envelope, whereby when any one quarter hour time notation appears there will also appear any notations previously recorded thereon through said diagonal openings.

ELMER T. KNITTER. 

